THE owner of a former Trowbridge fast-food pizza restaurant and takeaway has been locked out of the premises by its landlord.

There are now two notices on the front door and front window of the former Papa’z Pizza outlet in Silver Street warning that the lease on the premises has been 'determined'.

Enforcement agents Penham Excel Ltd in Stafford have posted the notices urging former tenant Mohamed Zekri to collect his goods within 14 days.

The notice is dated April 23, so Mr Zekri has until Tuesday, May 7 to arrange to collect his property or see it removed and sold.

The notice says Penham Excel Ltd is acting as authorised agents for the landlord and have re-entered the premises.

This Is Wiltshire: The former Papa’z Pizza shop in Silver Street, Trowbridge, is now closed and its former tenant banned from setting foot inside without authority. Image: Trevor Porter77016-3The former Papa’z Pizza shop in Silver Street, Trowbridge, is now closed and its former tenant banned from setting foot inside without authority. Image: Trevor Porter77016-3 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Mr Zekri has been warned that if he or his agents enter the premises without authority they could face criminal or civil proceedings.

This Is Wiltshire: The notice on the former Papa’z Pizza shop in Silver Street banning the tenant from entering the premises without authority. Image Trevor Porter77016-1The notice on the former Papa’z Pizza shop in Silver Street banning the tenant from entering the premises without authority. Image Trevor Porter77016-1 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Mr Zekri operated the former Papa’z Pizza but was understood to be working on plans to start a new fast-food business.

Workers had removed the Papa’z Pizza signage and were seen chipping off bright orange paint from the façade of the Grade II-listed building, which is in the Trowbridge conservation area.

This Is Wiltshire: A workman was pictured chipping orange paintwork from ther facade of the building back in September. Photo: Trevor Porter 70194-3 A workman was pictured chipping orange paintwork from ther facade of the building back in September. Photo: Trevor Porter 70194-3 (Image: Trevor Porter)

The chairman of Trowbridge Civic Society, Cllr Glyn Bridges, raised concerns with Wiltshire Council’s conservation officer about the work on the building and urged them to take enforcement action.

Cllr Bridges said: "It was dreadful before they started chipping away the paint over the ashlar stones. What they are doing is ghastly.”

The former restaurant and takeaway closed in February last year after the Food Standards Agency gave it a zero food hygiene score.

It formerly sold chicken burgers, kebabs and chips but the Food Standards Agency said ''urgent' improvements were necessary.

Its report criticised the hygienic handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage and food safety management.

The agency added that Papa’ z Pizza needed to put “system or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat”.

It said: “The agency wants to see evidence that staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future.”

But it said in its report that the cleanliness and condition of the takeaway facilities and building were generally satisfactory.

The Wiltshire Times has tried several times to contact Papa'z Pizzas for a comment.